Neal's Ordeal of Knighthood
by BobtheFrog
Summary: The title kind of speaks for it's. This is my 2nd fanfic, I'm so proud of myself. Anyways, read and review S.V.P. Thanks so much!


Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot and some of Neal's fears. Naturally, I wished I owned everything but…

A/N: I also got this idea from someone else but they had killer vegetables and sparrows attacking him. I wanted to do something more realistic for Neal.

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The great heavy iron doors slammed shut with a deafening thud. Nealan of Queenscove wiped his sweaty hands on his undyed tunic all the squires had to wear during their ordeals. He looked around the chamber with weary eyes, waiting for anything and everything. What was the Chamber of Ordeal going to do? Neal knew it would begin all too soon.

_ A faint hiss reached the ears of the young man. A rattle followed the appearance of a long, thin, slithery snake. Why does it have to be snakes, thought Neal. He stuffed his hands behind his back and started walking away from the poisonous worm. He had hidden his fear for so long; he wasn't going to fail now. He froze as he heard more hissings behind him. Slowly, Neal turned around to see hundreds of writhing snakes coming out from the shadows. He started to breath heavily with fear as the snakes closed in on him, covering the floor. Suddenly, Neal saw a rope hanging from the ceiling. He could climb up it, away from the snakes! Neal started to climb. As he climbed, he could feel the sturdy rope turn to scales under his fingertips. The deadly cobra was string into the eyes of the person whose sweaty hands were holding onto its body. It was poised to attack when Neal let go and fell down to the floor of snakes and landed―_

_―_on the chamber floors with fear sweat coating his face. Neal shuddered as he realized the Chamber would make him live his fears until it decided whether he was worthy enough for knighthood. He braced himself, waiting for the next blow to his emotional body.

_ Neal was standing in the practice courts at the palace. He walked over to where Kel, Merric, Owen, Faleron and the others were practicing with staffs in pairs. Neal picked up a staff and waited for a group to stop so he could have a go with one of them. Kel and Merric finished. Neal smiled at Kel and stood facing her. Her eyes seemed startled for a second and then a look of disgust played across her face. Kel glanced at Merric and together they started towards the palace stables, whispering. Neal watched as his other friends turned from him and walked away, leaving him alone…horribly alone…_

You won't break me that easily, thought Neal as the practice courts melted once again into the Chamber walls. My friends would never do that to me. I know it with my heart, if not my brain. He stiffened automatically as the scenery changed to a battle field.

_ It was a war. Knights and soldiers were fighting on horse and foot. Blood was staining the grass as wounded people died. Kel stumbled up to Neal, holding what was left of her right arm in her left hand. "Help me Neal!" she whispered as she crumbled to the ground. Quickly Neal tried to call his emerald green Gift to his fingers. Nothing was there! The fiery core that was his magic was empty! Neal watched horrified as Kel died, Merric stabbed in the heart and Owen die of blood loss. Where was his magic? Why couldn't he help? 'I will never use up all of my power!' screamed Neal silently to the Chamber._

Neal breathed heavily, chest heaving, tears coursing down his cheeks. Are you finished with me yet? Neal sat rocking as he sent silent curses to the Chamber.

_ He stood up and looked around him. Instruments of torture and death were all around him. Why was he here? He wasn't afraid of pain or death. Neal started at the sound of a door opening. A strange man came in holding a struggling woman, her face shielded by her hair. She looked up and flipped her heavy locks out of her eyes. Neal struggled against unseen bonds that were not there a moment ago. The man strapped Yukimi onto a device of pain. Silent sobs shook Neal's body as he watched Yuki's body bleed and heard her agonizing screams. The man finally stepped away and Yuki collapsed to the floor. A single tear fell from her eyes as she looked up. Her soft lips parted and mouthed 'Neal' as slowly, her life left her body._

Neal continued to stare at the place where his beloved Yuki had fallen as the doors of the Chamber opened. When he didn't move, he felt the air around him sigh and then and invisible force pushed him out the doors. Lady Alanna caught him as he fell forwards. His ordeal was over. Neal looked through the crowd of spectators. There was Kel, Merric, his father Duke Baird and there was…Yuki. A wave of relief swamped hi body as Neal stared into the painless eyes of the Yamani. She reached out and gave him her deadly _shukuensen_ and a smile. Neal took the fan and tucked it into his belt as Lady Alanna steered him out of the chapel to get changed.

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A/N: There you have it. Many thanks to Pacific Rose for all the great suggestions and synonyms! Please tell me what you think! Review! 


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